The proposed development includes 4,000 square feet of restaurant/retail space at the base of the tower, primarily fronting Market Street and adjacent to a new 15,000-square-foot “Oak Plaza” on the corner and upon the existing Oak Street right-of-way.

Assuming the One Oak project is approved, it will take an estimated 32 months for Build Inc. to build once the ground is broken.

And once again, the condominium development will be 100 percent market rate as the team plans to pay an in-lieu fee to meet the City’s inclusionary housing requirements, a fee which is envisioned to fund the development of below market rate (BMR) units along Octavia Boulevard on former Central Freeway Parcels R, S and U.

Regular commentators know that I’m not part of the knee-jerk “build it taller” crowd – but this should be taller. It looks so squat in that side view, and given the other developments proposed for the “Hub”, this is not going to wind up being the outstanding landmark building that it should be.

(Aside: That side view up Van Ness is a horrible rendering from a political standpoint – it depicts Van Ness as a dark, shadowed street with no life. Whoever did this rendering should be fired; they should have depicted Van Ness at midday, when its sunlit, and with street vegetation (at least, whatever street vegetation is going to survive BRT…)

The base is way too big and bulky which makes the tower look squat. A 3/4 story base would be more appropriate but they gotta squeeze every last unit possible into the building and so the massive base .

The Market Street side of the building when combined with 1554 will be a 10 story wall hugging the narrow sidewalk. It won’t be pedestrian/retail friendly.

Totally ridiculous assertion that a 10-story street wall on the City’s main stem will somehow prove “unfriendly.” Actually, the plans of the French School for Oak/Franklin include a spur out to Market of comparable height which will very nicely complete this urban tableau for the entire block.

Of the parade of absurdities you regularly drop on here, this is one of the most egregious. This is Van Ness and Market, not Winnipeg or your beloved Oakland. The most important thing in this hood is that we add many more residents and activate the streets. The low rise fantasy you seem to favor would lead to a less secure neighborhood with higher rents. All because you seem to have this idea that people shouldn’t live in tall buildings. Give your head a shake, amigo.

I agree w/ regard to the “no life” observation – though my memory of the area is that it IS rather forlorn – but w/ regard to the shadow(s(, they sort of had to make THIS building look good, so that meant an eastern sun and the resultant shadowing of Van Ness.

An uninspired ugly mess, far too tall. I don’t see anything about reducing the wind tunnel effect of a monster building on an already windy corner. And dwarfs the lovely Beaux Arts building next door. Should be refused permits.

The lack of appropriate bulk controls is what will ruin this corner when built out. Its the reason this proposal looks so stumpy/bulky. The proposed building across the street will have a 10 foot podium also. This intersection could become a visual mess lacking any scalable pedestrian experience.

A picture is better than words. Google the Embarcadero Center and you’ll see a development with appropriate bulk controls. The podiums are three stories and the towers have a relatively small footprint. As in this case, the EC blocks are generally small. A very pedestrian friendly environment that remains so to this day – I believe the Embarcadero Center is development is 40 years old or so. The Golden Gateway Center is similarly a beautiful complex

High five for sticking Century City the Second smack in the middle of low slung mid-market. I’m just waiting for Beautiful Downtown Burbank to be perched atop Twin Peaks. Great job sell-outs to developer money. GREAT job!

So sorry to see that the Oak St. facing metro entrance is no longer a part of this project. The current Van Ness Station configuration turns its back on Hayes Valley and Polk Gulch, the predominant group that use it; with density increasing along Grove, Octavia, Fulton and others there really should be a subway portal to the north.